Refrigerator latch



Oct. 14, 1930. A. EKMAN REFRIGERATOR LATCH Filed Sept 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l )nocmi T Qudmw E Yumm 35- 0W x 112.,

Q'Ilbrne a Oct. 14, 1930. A. EKMAN REFRIGERATOR LATCH Filed Sept. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Romm- Qndmu TE. Kmcm Iron s Patented Oct. 14, 1930 -unrrsio STATES PATENT ()FFICE ANDREW EKMAN, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO WINTERS 82; CBAMPTON MFG. 00., OF GBANDVILLE, HEYZCIEIIGAN, A COEPGRATION C-IE MICHIGAN nnrnronna'ron LATCH Application filedSept-ember 23, 1929. Serial No. 384,461.

This invention relates to latches and is concernedwith a particularly novel and exceedingly simple construction of refrigerator 4 lat-ch which can be produced at low cost and or in any other similar relation, on other ar- 7 moles having doors which on an outward and upward pull on a depending handle part of the latch structure, thelatch is readily and easily disengaged, from a keeper therefor mounted on the door jamb, whereupon the door-will immediately open by reason of the outward pull on the handle. A further object and purpose of the invention is to pro- I, juring the connections used to hingedly.

vide a latch construction in which a crank arm mounted o-na rock shaft in the latch structure is utilized to connect with the keeper, being readily disconnected therefrom on turning the rock shaft. The rock shaft is spring actuatedto normally engage the crank arm portion with the keeper, and by use of the crank arm feature of the invention the same may readily ride over an outer cam surface associated with the keeper hook so that when the door is closed an automatic secure engagement with the keeper is obtained Without straining the connections by means of which the latch is attached to the door or inmount the'door.

A still further object and purpose of the invention is to provide a latch structure ofthe character noted consisting of few parts which are very simply and'e'asily assembled and all. permanently secured in their assembled relation when the depending handle of the structure is pivotally connectedtothe latch in which,

housing. p p

. L An understanding of the invention maybe had from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

v;Fig.-l is a side elevation showing a fragmentary'portion of a door and door casing,

the latch and the keeper therefor being mounted 'espectivelythereon.

Fig. 2 isa front elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an inner elevation of the latch structure which ismounted on the door.

. Figs. 4 and 5 are sections through the latch structure substantially in the plane of the length of the handle showing the handle in two extreme posit-ions.

Fig. 6 is a section through the latch structure at right angles to the sections shown in- Figs. l and 5, the section being taken substantially in the plane of the axis of the handle pivot, and. a I

Fig. 't'is a perspective view illustrative of the handle, the rock shaft and the connecting member between them, the parts being separated.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawings.

The latch of my invention is used on a door in association with akeeper which is mounted. on the door jamb. The door amb, indicated at 1, has the keeper permanently secured thereto. The k eper comprises a base 2 from which a post 8 extends outwardly. The post at its outer end is provided with an uwardly extending keeper hook 4, which is formed so as to have an outer cam surface 5 in front of the hook and an inner downwardly inclined wedging surface 6 at the inner side of the book, as shown.

The latch to engage with the keeper is mounted on the door 7, it being understood that the door is suitallly mounted for swingmovement at its opposite vertical edge 0 door frame or casing therefor. The n iuchul in its structure, a housing 8 which integral upwardly g ears 9 project, through which crer-is'pass to r u the latch securely to the door.- The housing near one of its vertical sides has a section 10 cut from the top of the housing and bent inwardly to ill) - flat shoulder 23, a curved edge 2 1 is shown I andthere 1s a 1316018011011 from the sides of the housing. A red or shaftv 12 is adapted to be mounted for rocking movement in and extend through the bearing rings or sleeves 11. One end of the shaft or rod 12, that nearest the free vertical ed e of the door, is extended beyond the sideof the housing and has an arm 13 bent at right angles therefrom and then turned outwardly making a keeper engaging part 11, the arms 13 and 1 1' forming a crank which may engage with the keeper hoolr or be lifted above the same on rocking the shaft 12. r

A coiled spring 15' is disposal-aroundthe shaft 12 having one end 16 againstaninner side of the housing (see Fig. 3 while the other end is'foi'med into a hook 1 i to set ina notch 18 formedin a side of an arm 19 extending from a bod 20, the arm 19 freely passing an opening 21 in the rock shaft 12. The arm 19 and the body 20 from which it extends forms a connecting member between the rock shaft and the handle which operates the shaft. Shoulders 22 at the inner end of the arm 19 and the larger body 20 form stops to limit the passa f throughtheshaft 12and aft r the heel; 17 of the spring is engaged in the notcl 18 this connecting operating member I in place with the shoulders 22 he ring agaii aside of the shaft 12 shown in 1* 'g Thebody 20 is of irregular sha e i its inner and under side is formed with a extendin fr em 0 1 the'body 1n opposition to the arm 19, ilifiill i as limit stops for the movement of the handle 27 Y The operating handle 2 is formed from sheet metal and at its end where it is associatedwith the housing 8 and passes there through, it has a channel form with parallel side of the housin spaced apart sides 28. A bridging tongue 29 is formed, integral with the end of one side 28 and is bent at right angles to extend to and across the end of the other side 28 as best shown in Fig. '7, thereby providing a rectangular opening 30, between the bridging tongue 29 and an end edge of he web which connects the two sides 28 of the handle. lit is through this opening 30 that the bodv 20 of the connecting operating member 6YiIllS.

The handle is inserted in the ogenn g made by pressing inwardl Y the section or car 10 and lies between saidear 10 and the adjacent side of the housing. 'A pivot pin 81 passesthrough the sides of the handle,said ear 10 and the adjacent side of the housing as shown in Fig. 6. r

Theassembly of the structure is simple and easy. The rock shaft 12 is inserted through a the spring 15 placed thereover, wound to'a proper. tension and then the arm 19 passed through the opening .141 rides against the curved lreeoer hook until it a'asses' hi :the nose of the keeper nook, whereupon the spring causes" and the rock shaft 12 passes through the opening 3O into the handle, after whichthe pivot pin 81 is put in place and riveted over at its ends. This makes asecure connection of all offlthe part-s, preventing their disengagement from' each other or' any longitu- .dinal play of the rock shaft 12.

- Under the influence of the spring 15 the handle 27 depends or drops so to occupy the position shown in Figs. 1 and If the i door-is opened, when it is closed the member cam; 5 of the it to move downwardly, engaging against one inclined inner side 6 andthereby drawing or wedging the door snugly to closed position. To release thelatch and open the door the hand e 27 is grasped and pulled outwardly. the end of the connecting 7 When this occurs web between the sides 28 of thehandle bears against the upper shoulder 26 of the projection 25, turning the parts to the position shown in Fig. 5 or until the'bridging tongue '29 comes against theopposite side 26 of the progect on 25. V] hen the handle is released after this operation and after-the door 1s.

opened, the springturns the latch parts back to the position shown in Fig. 4 and the edge of the tongue 29 comes against the shoulder 23 to hold the rock shaft from further movement.

The construction described is one very economical to produce. The handle, rock shaft, housing and the connectingmembcr between the handle and rockshaft are all easily produced by means of dies. 1 The coiled spring is a verycheap stock article. The assembly 18 particularly simple and inexpensive. No base plate at the inner side of the v latch housing is needed,ther eby eliminating an item of cost in the structure. This latch structure hasproved very practicalfor use on refrigerators. The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all "forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:.

1. In a latch. a, housing, a shaft mountec between the sides-of said housing for rocln ing movement andextending beyond id housing at one side thereof, keeper engaging crank portion located on said projecting end of the shaft, a spring coiled around said shaft bearing at one end againstthe hous- 1ng,an operating member connected with the shaft, said coiled spring at its other end having connection with said opera-tingmember and'said operating member extending radially from said shaft, and a handle pivotber whereby the shaft may be turned by operating the handle against the force of the sprin 7 2. In a latch, a sheet metal housing, a shaft mounted for rocking movement be tween the sides of the housing and extending at one end beyond the adjacent side of the housing,a keeper engaging crank portion located at the projecting end of the shaft, a handle pivotally mounted on the housing and extending atone end through an opening in the housing, an operating member at- I tached to the shaft and projecting therefrom and operatively connected to said handle, and a coiled spring around the shaft having one end connected with the shaft and the other end bearing against the housing.

3. In a latch structure, a sheet metal housing having an opening in its outer side and an ear turned inwardly from said outer side atsaid opening, a sheet metal handle having an end of channel form inserted through said opening and lying between said ear and a side of the housing a pivot pin passing through the ear, handle and side of the housing, a rock shaft mounted between the sides of the housing above the handle and having one end extending beyond side of the housing and provided with a keeper engaging crank portion, an operating member secured to the shaft and extending radially therefrom and entering into the end of the ban dle between the sides thereof, and spring means acting on said shaft to turn the same in one direction, said means yielding on operating the handle outwardly whereby the shaft may be turned in the opposite direction.

4. A latch structure comprising a sheet metal housing having an opening in its outer side and an ear turned inwardly from said outer side of the housing, at said opening, a handle of said sheet metal formed at one end into channel shape and having spaced ing the space between the spaced apart sides of said handle, a rock shaft mounted on and between the sides ofthe housing having one end extending beyond a side of the housing and a keeper engaging crank portion on said projecting end of the shaft, an operating member connected with said shaft and extending radially therefrom and into the opening between the sides of the handle, said tongue and said web, and a coiled spring around said shaft connected at one end thereto and at the other end bearing against the housing.

5. In a latch structure, a sheet metal housing, a handle depending from said housing andat its upper end extending through an 'enin in said housin means aivotall mounting the handle on the housing. a horizontal rock shaft mounted on and between the sides of the housing and having one end portion extending beyond a side of the housing, a keeper engaging crank at the projecting end of the said shaft, means directly connecting the handle and shaft for turning the shaft in one direction on outward movement of the lower end portion of the handle, and spring means coiled about the shaft tending to turn said shaft in the opposite direction.

6. In a latch, a housing, a shaft mountea for rocking movement in the housing, a pivoted handle having an open end, an operating member secured to said shaft and extending therefrom and entering into the end of the handle loosely whereby contact is alternately had between the opposed sines of the operating member and the handle.

7. In a latch, a housing, a shaft mounted for rocking movement in the housing, a'handle pivoted in said housing, two spaced apart contact portions on said handle, and an operating member tending radially from said shaft and extending between said contact portions of said handle whereby the operating member is clamped between said contact portions in either of, its extreme swinging portions to form limit stops for the movements of the handle and the rock shaft in either direction.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si nature.

ANDRE'VV EKMAN. 

